What are we thinking?
Airlines are now flying non-stop — repeat, non-stop — from New York and London to Australia!
Face it — if this can be done it will be done. It will become routine. But damned if I know why.
I never have and never will understand why people will ride an airline all night to get to faraway places.
Think about it. What do you do all year long that requires you to ride an airline all night? Back when I was speaking all over for a living, I did spend more than a few nights inflight. I didn’t like it, but had to do it. But I also slept a lot during the day in secret places at airports—but not after 9/11 scared us all to death. I was afraid I might be awakened by nervous security people with deadly weapons.
OTOH, some people do want to fly all night, and they will probably be offered the opportunity. I will not be among them.
Have you read the stories about the airplanes currently making these trips? Weight and balance is super critical. Empty seats are involved.
Are those airplanes too big? Will they get smaller to save money? Why fly all those hours and miles with vast rows of empty seats?
Heretofore, airlines would leave one airport, then stop at one or more other airports for refueling. Crossing the Pacific took two stops within my memory.
Will airports suffer? I doubt it. I bet Hawaii, for example, has more flights in/out than they ever did during the old days.
Dang, I’d like to see how this works out.
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